Wedge for gate-valves.



No. 782,993. Y PATENTED FEB. 2l, 1905.

R. SHIRLEY.

WBDGE FOR GATE VALVES;

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 30, 1904.

III

@ammunmgmky/ *j y ==T I I I UNTTED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT' OFFICE.

ROBERT SHIRLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PRATT & CADY COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

'WEDGE FOR GATE-VALVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. "782,993, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed July 30, 1904. Serial No. 218,941.

T n/ZZ whom, it Netty concern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT SHIRLEY, a citi- Zen of theUnited States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented anewand useful Wedge for Gate-Valves, of which ther following is a specification. Y Y

This invention relates to the formation of those wedges which are used in gate-valves IO for the purpose of spreading the gate-disks and causing them to close tightly against the seats around the ports.

The object of this invention is to provide very simple, cheap, firm, and durable wedges I 5 which will not corrode and adhere to the abutting surfaces of the wedge-ribs on the backs of the gate-disks.

In order to make valves of this nature cheap, the gate-disks are usually cast `to shape of 2O iron with iron wedge-ribs on their backs which are adapted to be engaged by the wedges which separate the disks and force their faces against the seats. To make the wedges,which are raised and lowered with the valve-disks, cheap, they are usually cast to shape of iron;

but to prevent them from corroding and adhering to the iron surfaces of the wedge-ribs on the backs of the disks the active wedgesurfaces are made of brass, bronze, or a similar metal.

This invention resides in a gate-valve having separable disks formed of a cheap metal and provided with wedge-ribs on their backs and wedges formed of cheap metal and pro- 3 5 vided with bands of non-corrosive metal that inclose the wedge-blocks and are held to the wedge-plates by prongs that extend through perforations in the plates and are spread on' the backs. V

Figure l of the accompanying drawings shows a separable disk gate-valve that is provided with the invention, the bonnet being in side elevation and the body and gates in central longitudinal section. Fig. 2 shows the saine valve with the body in central transverse section. Fig. 3 shows the face of one of the wedges. Fig. 4 shows a view of the wedgeplate with the non-corrosive band omitted,

and Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of` the band.

The body l of the valve is cast to shape of iron or other metal in the usual way and is provided with a common form of bonnet 2, which supports the usual spindle 3. On the lower end of the threaded section of the spindle is a nut 4, having iianges 5, which enter Vrecesses 6 in the backs of the gate-disks 7.

When the spindle is turned, the nut is raised or lowered and through the medium of its flanges raises or lowers the gate-disks. On the back of one disk are wedge-ribs 8 with inclined edges. and on the back of the other disk are wedge-ribs 9 with curved edges.

Between the gate-disks are the wedge-plates Yl0, with {ianges l1 at their upper ends that project over the upper ends of lifting-ribs l2 on the backs of the disks, so that when the disks are lifted the wedge plates will be raised. The lower ends of the wedge-plates are adapted when the disks are forced down to engage with and to be stopped by steps I3 on the bottom of the valve-body. On the faces of the wedge-plates are wedge-blocks I4, each of which' has a straight surface and an inclined surface. Through each plate are perforations l5, that are larger on the back side than on the front side. These wedgeplates, with the flanges and blocks, are preferably cast of iron or ,a similar cheap metal. Driven onto the wedge-blocks are bands 16, of brass, bronze, or a similar non-corrosive metal. These bands are shaped so as to make a close fit with the wedge-blocks, and they are provided with prongs 17, which extend through the perforations in the wedge-plates. After the bands, which completely encircle the wedge-blocks, have been driven into position with the prongs extending through the perforations the prongs are spread from the back, so as to hold the bands against any possibilityT of removal. The wedging force to which the bands are subjected is resisted by the wedge-blocks and does not come upon the prongs, so that all that is required of the prongs is to hold the bands from moving edgewise off the blocks. v

When the gate-disks are forced down, the lower ends of the wedge-plates are stopped by the steps on the body, so that further downward movement of the disks causes the inclined surfaces o't' the wedge-bands to engag'e the inclined edges of the wedge-ribs and eliect a separation of the disks. The inclined edges of the wedge-ribs and the inclined surfaces of the wedge-bands assume with relation to each other such positions that the disk having the inclined wedge-ribs will close iiatly against its seatand the curved edges of the wedge-ribs on the other disk rock on the straight surfaces of the wedge-bands, so that that disk will close flatly against its seat.

All of the parts of this gate can be formed of cheap material in the usual way, and the wedges may also be formed ot' a cheap material and in the simple way described, provided with iirm and strong bands which will not corrode and adhere to the edges oi' the wedge-ribs on the disks and which will not stretch open or work loose from the bwedgeblocks.

The invention claimed is` l. In combination with the disks of a gatevalve, wedge-plates having wedge-blocks on one side and perforations through the plates about the wedge-blocks, and bands of noncorrodible metal surrounding the wedgeblocks and having prongs on their edges that extend through the perforations and are spread on the back sides of the plates, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with the disks of a gate- Valve, wedgeplates having' wedge-blocks that are straight on one side and inclined on the other side and having perforations, and bands of non-corrodible metal entirely surrounding and closely iitting the wedge-blocks and having prongs on their edges that extend through the perforations and are spread -on the back sides of the plates, substantially as specified.

3. In combination with the disks ot' a gatevalve, wedge-plates having' wedge-blocks and perforations through the plates about the wedge-bloeks,and closed bands of non-corrodible metal extending around the wedge-blocks and having double prongs extending from their edges through the perforations and spread on the back side, substantially as specified.

ROBERT SHIRLEY.

IVitnesses:

ETI-[EL M. LOWE, HARRY R. WILLIAMS. 

